Opening the scoring a lot right now(credit:
toksuede)
Rafa's Reds 11/4 for first ever win at the Emirates
While Liverpool won at Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford as recently as last season, registering a victory at the Emirates is proving a lot more difficult.
Since the Gunners switched from Highbury in the summer of 2006, Rafael Benitez's team have not triumphed on any of their five visits to this stadium, while you have to go back to February 2000 to find the last time that the Merseyside club win away at Arsenal. Victor Chandler offer 11/4 that they buck that trend by winning on Wednesday night.
There has certainly been improvement from Liverpool since the turn of the year, despite having to cope without Fernando Torres, Yossi Benayoun and Glen Johnson. In a way, being shorn of some star talent has led to the manager being more pragmatic, with a more defensive formation being employed as a result.
It hasn't stopped Dirk Kuyt finding the net regularly and the Dutchman is 8/1 (Coral) to pop up with the opening goal in front of the Sky cameras, something he has managed to do in three of his last four matches.
Arsenal have been steamrollered in the past two games, although there's no shame in losing to Manchester United and Chelsea. It shouldn't be forgotten that the Gunners were serious title contenders a fortnight ago and Sky Bet offer 11/10 that they bounce back from consecutive defeats by beating their fellow members of the original 'Big Four'.
One player who seems to enjoy lining up against Liverpool is Andrey Arshavin, who bagged four goals at Anfield last season and scored the winner at the same ground in December. The Russian is a tempting 2/1 (Paddy Power) to be on the scoresheet at any stage, although the visitors are proving strong defensively right now.
Indeed, they have now gone 360 minutes without conceding a goal and Paddy Power offer 10/3 that they keep a clean sheet at the Emirates. A draw (12/5 Stan James) would serve Benitez's team well as they continue their quest for fourth place in the Premier League and it should be noted that they landed a point on each of their past two league visits to this ground.
Perhaps this is the match where Steven Gerrard steps up to the mark and the Pool captain is 9/1 (Coral) to break the deadlock against a team that have conceded five times in the past two matches.